Which band's lead singer is credited with popularizing stage diving?

The Stooges’ lead singer, Iggy Pop, is credited with popularizing stage diving in rock music.

Born James Newell Osterberg Jr., Iggy Pop became known for an intensely physical and unpredictable performance style. During the Stooges’ late-1960s and early-1970s shows, he climbed into—or leapt toward—the audience, helping establish the stage dive as a defining piece of rock and punk performance.

The Stooges formed in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1967, with Iggy Pop joined by brothers Ron and Scott Asheton and bassist Dave Alexander. Their raw sound and confrontational concerts influenced punk bands that followed, including the Sex Pistols and the Ramones.

A common mix-up is naming Iggy Pop rather than his band. Iggy Pop was the performer credited with popularizing the act, while The Stooges is the canonical band answer requested here. Stage diving also differs from crowd surfing: in a stage dive, the performer jumps from the stage into the audience; crowd surfing usually involves an audience member being carried overhead.